The Art of Fielding

This big American novel is the story of Henry, a baseball-loving kid who realises that he’s not just good at baseball, but brilliant — it could be his life. As a thrower of the ball, he’s almost perfect, until the day he throws the ball into the face of his gay team-mate Owen, knocking him out. And then all sorts of strange things happen, as if the whole of Henry’s world has been thrown off course. A novel that’s engaging in so many ways — not just sporting, but emotional and philosophical too.